By
LYDIA POLGREEN, Staff
writerFirst published in Albany Times
Union: Friday, May 4, 2001

Opinions sought on Albany life

Albany -- Neighborhood leaders
to survey city residents on top concerns

The Council of Albany Neighborhood Associations wants to know what you
think of life in the city. The organization will be distributing more
than 30,000 surveys asking 75 questions about neighborhood issues, like
crime, code enforcement, street repairs and parking and whether
residents think the city is doing a good job in dealing with those
issues.

"There is a very strong, almost silent majority of residents,''
said David Phaff, president of the New Albany Neighborhood Association.
"This is one way for them to express their concerns without waiting
for an election every four years.''

Last year about 26,000 surveys were distributed, and CANA got 1,400
replies, according to Phaff. The top concern found in last year's survey
was residential property maintenance, he said.

This year the survey has been redesigned to make it more scientific,
Phaff said, by allowing respondents to rank their feelings on a scale of
zero to four.

Survey forms will be available at Stewart's Shops around the city, at
the five branches of the Albany Public Library and at the Historic
Albany Foundation. They also will be distributed by neighborhood
associations and in Albany editions of Monday's Times Union. The form is
also available on CANA's Web site at http://members.tripod.com/CAlbanyNA/.

After they are compiled and analyzed, the survey results will be
shared with city leaders to help inform policies, said Harold Rubin,
past president of CANA.

"If you are concerned about the quality of life in Albany, this
is your chance to make your views known,'' Rubin said.

TOP IN 2000:

Of approximately 40 issues listed in last year's survey, these 13
drew a response rate of at least 20 percent. Following is their ranking
with the top issue cited by 40 percent of the residents who responded.